The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1887-06-01
The Rocky Mountain Telegraph Company.

The Rocky Mountain line north Of Great
Falls has not been in operation for several
days. Repairers are constantly out. The
high water has something to do with the
trouble and the managers also say that
their poles are not infreqently cut down
by freighter5 who get stuck on the road
and need lever to help them out Of the
mud or repair broken wagon and find
nothing handler than telegraph pole.
The above is from the Independent OF
the 28th inst. The RIVER PREss has often
been appealed to of late to give
publicity toethe outrageous condition OF
this line, and the demand from this COM
munity that the management either put il
in business shape or else turn it over to
some company that will do it.
When the manager was here some
weeks ago he asked the indulgence of the
public for brief season, and promised to
soon have things in good shape For this
reason, and in view of the excellent SER
vice rendered by the line last winter, We
have-deferred comment until now, when
every business interest OF the town de-
mands that the true condition of affairs
shall be stated. Speaking for this end of
the line, and as far as we are able to learn
from persons passing over the road, or
from the operators in charge of the offices
there are no repairers out, nor have any
regular repairers been on the line between
here and Helena this spring. The only
repairing that is attempted is by the ope-
rators who are required to leave their
posts and hunt the breaks that are con-
stantly occurring: and having repaired
them, they find on reaching their office
that the line has gone down again. The
statement that the poles are cut down BIZ
freighters certainly can not be true. There
is not freighter in the country mean
enough to do such an act; besides, they
would not dare do it, for fear of the law:
and then again, no class of people needs
the Use of the wire more than the freight
ers themselves do at times, in seeking
business at points to which they are des-
tined. The truth of the matter is the
whole line from here to Helena, as well as
from here to Assinniboine, needs repair
ing. Ninety per cent. of the old poles are
too rotten TO stand the heavy winds that
occasionally sweep over the prairie. Be-
sides the cattle which during the winter
do not molest the poles, in the spring and
use them constantly to rub the
shedding hair off, the evidence of which
is plainly seen on every pole, for they are
rubbed until absolutely polished as far up
as the cattle can reach. We have it from
reliable authority-p people whom we know
TO De truthful-that poles are being con-
stantly pushed over by the cattle, and
That it is no unusual thing to see several
poles, in one string, layingon the ground,
and that this condition exists all along
he line Al this paI ticular season our
business men need The line constantly and
he receipts no y would he heavier than at
my other season. 1t seems passing
strange that the company should allow
'uch state of affairs to exist for Il mo-
nent, for they are losing many dollars ev-
.ry day. The business community has
ost all confidence in the line, and are
lriven to the mails with their important
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